Kelly got on my radar due to being in solid bands and having solid mutual friends in Portland, Oregon. If you’ve been living under a rock, PDX is home of one of the strongest punk renaissances we have seen in the past few decades in the USA. Currently, Kelly is in PEROXIDE and doing Asepticzine. I thought I’d interview him about Aseptic for Create to Destroy — the PEROXIDE interview will be in MRR in print sooner or later…

Why did you start doing a zine? If I got this right, Aseptic zine is your first zine?
Yes, Aseptic is my first zine. It started when I was emailing bands asking if I could use their images to make badges so I could sell ‘em on a web store. I just wanted full consent. Not a lot of bands wrote back to me, but I figured with the ones I had online, maybe I should ask them if I could interview them. Maeda of LASTLY asked me what the interview was for, so on the spot I figured I was going to make a zine. If you’ve ever wondered why that interview seemed so short, it was the first interview I ever gave in my life, ha! I also didn’t realize that I could of used translation to get more in depth. You learn as you go and continue keeping communication with punks that don’t speak fluent English and vice versa.

That LASTLY interview ruled. It was short but perfect. Where did you get the name Aseptic?
Ha! I was in LIFEFORM for a minute when they were first forming. I wanted to name the band that, and obviously it didn’t stick. I was just really into ANTI-SEPTIC at the time. Also, I named my band PEROXIDE. You would think I search my bathroom medicine cabinet whenever I need a name for something…

LIFEFORM rules and so does ANTI-SEPTIC, one of my first Japanese punk loves. I like the name Aseptic and glad it got used somewhere! So, when you started making your zine, who was your biggest help and supporter as you made it?
Hmmmm? Myself? Kinkos? Glue sticks? Ha! I guess the bands I choose to interview or review. My girlfriend, Sandy, is really supportive of me!

No Elmer’s? Come on, punk! Anyone help distribute it?
So far Skell of Distort Reality, Foat of TOTAL WAR and Tyler from LIFEFORM. It’s nice when a band will go on tour and throw some in their distro box for me. I’m constantly emailing everyone and anyone around the world that would like to buy it wholesale. Hopefully this interview may open some doors? Anyone wanna buy a black’n’white rag that’s in English and looks sorta nifty? Maybe for a cheap thrill?

Solid punks doing your distribution! You have a little punk mafia help there, boy! Both issues of Aseptic thus far aesthetically look nifty, for sure. I noticed you have advertising, who has advertised thus far?
Off the top of my head? Random distros and labels here and there. Usually it’s friends and people that I’ve done business with that give me some records out of their distro in trade or whatever. In the first issue I did, I ran an ad for Distort Reality so I could shamelessly promote my own band, haha!

Who did you interview for Aseptic Vol. 1?
MODERAT LIKVIDATION. NOMAD which sort of spills into ZATSUON. LASTLY.

What feedback did you get? I gave you some harsh constructive criticism, but you took it well and Aseptic Vol. 2 was super solid! I hate typos — sorry, Kelly! Or reading the same bands being interviewed over and over again…
I got great feedback! Tons people really enjoyed it and it was awe inspiring to keep doing it! Typos? Haha! I guess I just type like I talk. I used a typewriter which I don’t own, so my mother typed up a lot of the first issue and I tried to do as much as I could when I was down in California, visiting. When I’m back here in Portland, I just print what I got, typos included. To be honest, I’ve never read any other interviews of NOMAD. I thought I was the first zine (other than their local zines) to print their interview, I swear — haha!

Do you have any copies left of issue #1 or 2 left?
I’m out of issue #1. I gave Foat like 100 copies to sell in Canada, and I haven’t heard from him in a while; so if anyone wants a copy, write to that bastard! Oh and yes, I still have copies of issue #2.

Oh that Foat, he can be tricky. When will Aseptic Vol. 3 be out? Want to leak us a preview of what to expect?
Not sure when #3 will be out? Maybe in a couple months? I still need to sell more of issue #2. I also haven’t been working a lot, which means I haven’t been saving a lot. Leak of issue #3? I don’t want to yank the curtain down just yet, but expect some classic/cult American bands, a classic/cult English band, and some contemporaries that I think are fuckin ace! And reviews, I’ll give more opinions on stuff I like.

How long have you been in Portland, Oregon? Where are you originally from?
I’ve been here about five years now. I’m originally from San Jose, California…but if you wanna be real specific, I’m from Santa Clara.

Any cool new bands in Portland?
The latest one that I’ve been wanting to catch is REACTOR!

What do you think of the internet? Do you think it’s helped kill off zine culture?
It’s done wonders for masturbation, haha! No, it has advantages and time traps for sure. I think it’s killed off zine culture maybe, but it’s mainly the bastards that give up their zines to start blogs. And even still, zines are still happening. Hard copy is always going to matter. People need to hold and feel things in their hands. It’s in our nature to collect shit. And even though technology seems like it’s really campaigning to end books, I don’t think they’re ever going to go out of style. They don’t run out of batteries and they still work after you drop em.

What do you think of punk on the internet? I find it to be rather ugly, myself.
Again, there’s pros and cons. Growing up, I didn’t have a computer in my house, but I still had access to them. I’d check out bands on the Kill From The Heart website and seek out tape traders that had them. So it was mixing the future with the past mainly because that’s what I was limited to. Before cell phones and social networking/vanity websites there were message board websites and punks would find out about shows or general hanging out through there. Nowadays, over the internet, I’m always hearing killer new bands that turn my head, but I’m not satisfied with MP3s. I write to them and try to get my hands on what they have. Also, I like keeping a personal contact. I’m genuinely interested in what’s going on with them and through the internet, it is really convenient. Those are some of my pros. It seems nowadays, kids get quick fix to venting their frustrations by ranting over say, Facebook, when they could be screaming into a microphone or xeroxing their thoughts at a Kinkos. Instead of picking up a guitar or banging on their desk with drumsticks, they’re picking up their cell phones or banging on their keyboard with their fingers.

Vanity websites, good name for Tumblr, et al! Do you use the internet to market your zine?
Yes. I email as many people as possible, but I’m only one guy. I get lazy and hung-over and everything else. I’ve tried using Facebook and Tumblr to advertise, but I don’t think anyone cares. Sure it gets “likes” or whatever, but posting advertisements seems as apathetic as the people that like the idea I present, but don’t try to obtain a copy. Writing to people and versa vice is most effective.

How can we best find you and your zine?
Check online distros. If anyone wants to buy a copy or sell them, my email address for the zine is *protected email* I love correspondence!

Or they can try tracking down Foat with his hundreds of copies…any last words?
Yes! I can’t possibly understand why some punks are unpleasantly competitive to climb a social ladder. Like Bill and Ted once said, “Be excellent to each other and party on dudes!”

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